Rapha have launched a limited edition collection of city cycling clothing with designers Christopher and Graeme Raeburn, this Wind Jacket being made from recycled military parachute canopies. The prices are going to make a lot of you whistle through your teeth.
Cyclist Graeme Raeburn is product designer at Rapha while his brother, Christopher Raeburn, is a well-known fashion designer who uses re-appropriated military fabrics in his work… hence the nylon parachute canopy fabric that’s used for the front and back panels here.
As its name suggests, the Wind Jacket is windproof, and it’s lightweight and packable too. The spots on the arms and the yoke are reflective, and the hood can be rolled up and fastened away. You get front pockets, one of which doubles as a storage pocket for the jacket as a whole. Each jacket is individually numbered – that’s the reflective race-style number on the back.
Like all of the Rapha & Raeburn products, it’s made in England. For the full story on the collection, go to Rapha’s website.
The Wind Jacket is available in green and white versions at, um, £300 (orange versions appear to be out of stock).
The Rapha & Raeburn range also includes a Short Sleeve Henley merino shirt (£120) and jeans (£180).
According to Rapha, the jeans are made from ‘abrasion resistant and flexible fabric made from nylon, cotton and eslastane blend yarns’ that’s milled especially for them. Only 500 pairs are being made.
34 thoughts on “Rapha & Raeburn launch city cycling collection”
Leaving aside the expense –
Leaving aside the expense – you’d expect that, the debate has ground on forever….
This stuff just looks awful. Who would want to wear it?
bashthebox wrote:
This stuff
errr, possibly people who have bought it, just guessing. 😉
The jackets don’t look the best, but the jeans and top look ok. IMO
My mate Lanfranco would wear
My mate Lanfranco would wear it. But then he’s a jockey.
I get enough sarky comments
I get enough sarky comments from family wearing my bike gear – god knows what they would say if I turned up in this! :”(
That jacket is horrendous!
That jacket is horrendous!
It is limited and, last time
It is limited and, last time I checked, there’s no point checking on Rapha’s website as you won’t see it, not unless you’re an Imperial Works Customer.
I am, for my sins, but wouldn’t go near this. It’s truly terrible.
London
London
I think I’d rather wear the
I think I’d rather wear the parachute, open, into a head wind than wear that jacket.
WTF?
WTF?
The wind jacket is a stark
The wind jacket is a stark design piece – you either hate or love it. I’d love to see it in action.
No shortage of takers though as most of these pieces have already sold out. Hats off to Rapha for creating things that sell in these dire economic times.
Usually I don’t bother
Usually I don’t bother commenting on Rapha articles because people should spend their money how they want, plus I think most Rapha clothing looks quite good. But how can that awful looking jacket, made out of recycled material cost £300! Is it sewed together with gold thread?
Oh dear lord no!
Oh dear lord no!
The question is – what
The question is – what happened to Paul Smith?
Has Rapha switched to a different designer?
Are my Paul Smith items now getting collectors items? 😀
Awful.
Awful.
Oh dear, Rapha has just
Oh dear, Rapha has just jumped the shark. Shame, their stuff was original in a good way when they started, now it’s just the King’s clothes. Looking forward to the next company that will take their crown. Such is the way with innovation.
Nauseating. Oh and don’t
Nauseating. Oh and don’t carry a bag, or the pattern will rub off. (Rapha website).
Those jeans would be ideal
Those jeans would be ideal for cycling to the Masonic Lodge I imagine.
It might be the large amount of cheese I’ve just eaten but putting aside the pretentiousness and price I quite like the big reflective dots on the arms as a detail.
We’ve got the jacket in the
We’ve got the jacket in the office, I like it, it is beautifully made and it certainly gets attention. Short run, high fashion stuff costs money. If you don’t like it don’t buy it.
tony_farrelly wrote: If you
But you didnt. You got given it.
Would you honestly pay £300 of your own hard earned for it, beautifully made or not?
Some Fella
Nope, I wouldn’t cos I can’t afford it, doesn’t mean I think it’s a rip-off though. Any short run, designer label jacket is going to cost that sort of money or a lot more. Oh, and it’s going back cos there isn’t much point in testing such a limited edition item.
tony_farrelly wrote: If you
thanks for the advice, even though I think the jacket is horrendous I was just about to order a dozen….
colinth wrote:tony_farrelly
Brilliant, that made me chuckle.
tony_farrelly wrote:We’ve got
I know of another UK cycle clothing company that does short run handmade limited editions that do not cost a fortune.
Fixie Girl
So how do they stop the Proles from buying it?
Not sure about that jacket
Not sure about that jacket but a pair of Diesel jeans are £120 so if the Rapha jeans are much better made, seems ok to me. The problem with Rapha is they seem to do some stuff which leaves me thinking “well you get what you pay for” and other stuff which seems like a gratuitous rip off.
God awful at crazy prices.
God awful at crazy prices. Sticking with Gore.
I’m sick of skinny jeans – so
I’m sick of skinny jeans – so noughties and so Max Wall. If Rapha made boot cut jeans I’d buy a pair. A Velcro tab to serve as a bike clip… Maybe I should make them.
I have a pair of the standard
I have a pair of the standard Rapha jeans, and can vouch for the fact they are incredibly hard-wearing as well as looking great. They are a tad dearer than the likes of Levi, but from my experience I get through regular jeans in a few months.
Not a fan of these jackets though and not something I can imagine being worn outside of Soho! I would like to see one in the flesh though
Well I’ll stick my neck out
Well I’ll stick my neck out and say I like that jacket, it’s funky and original. As for £300, no I wouldn’t at the minute, but I suspect that the purchasers of this found it easier to drop £300 on a luxury item than I would right now. The value is subjective (as are the looks).
With this sort of thing, stop
With this sort of thing, stop even trying to put into the context of value and practicality. As already pointed out, this is expensive fashion instead- and in that context, is priced appropriatly. Would I spend the money? No. Will others? Clearly. Does that mean that it shouldn’t exist and that Rapha is evil incarnate because it has created something I neither like the look of or can afford? No.
MY EYES! THEY BURN…!
MY EYES! THEY BURN…! :O
I think that i probably might
I think that i probably might quite like it
I like the wife and kids more and I feel I may be separated from them should I be joined to the jacket!
I like and own Rapha
I like and own Rapha clothing
but, sometimes i think….Nathan Barley…if you dont know what i’m referring to…..Cock,Muff Bumhole.
Glad someone else mentioned
Glad someone else mentioned jockeys!
Usually love Rapha stuff (points made above re. high-ish fashion are valid, they have a niche and generally make very high-quality, good-looking items) but that jacket’ a bit mingin’.
Jeans are great, as ever, but out of my range.